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Scratches, Crackles and Pops, No Thank You!

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A friend sent me this link to an article about how mp3’s are changing the way we hear: The Sizzling Sound of Music. I say we, but admit to having no love of the mp3 format which sound flat, dull and compressed, especially if you compare it to a good LP. Yes, an actual vinyl record, exactly. I admit, I own quite a few of them, many bought back then when stores where making space for the all new “super sounding” compact disk. Thank you Mr. Cd!

I do have a few cd’s, and have gotten used to them which is the point the article is concerned with in regards to mp3’s. They (cd’s) are very convenient in the studio and it has been a long time since they’ve given me a headache, which they used to do quite frequently.

It’s been obvious to me for some time that good hi-fi is a thing of the past, another good friend of mine sells high quality systems and I just have to go by his shop to know the sad state of his affairs. In a world where most quality things end up in the useless hands of the show off rich I must admit having given up feeling concern; we get what we deserve and I’ll leave it at that. However every time I read an article stating that retarded folks like myself just miss vinyl’s crackles and pops I do feel annoyed, because I don’t, not one tinny bit.

What I miss is space. On a decent stereo system with a good record player, a well recorded Lp offers far better spatial information, but I’m not even going to try and convince you. It’s expensive, it’s something you need to learn to appreciate and why bother….

These days I mostly listen to old blues recording anyways.

However in the line of how sound producing equipment changes the way instruments are recorded I do have a grip and it is bass. With the majority listening on cheap little computer speakers, to be audible the bass needs to be up in the 120 Hz region. Nowadays in live concerts, and IMHO because we have gotten used to having the bass “up there”, instead of blowing our bodies out with deep power, more often than not the bass just muddies up the whole balance….

But don’t listen to me, I think A is for analog!

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